• Friday, March 29, 2024

HEADLINE STORY

Sikh restaurant owner, family in London receive death threats over Khalistan post

Pro-Khalistan supporters attempt to pull down the Indian flag but the flag was rescued by the Indian security personnel at the High Commission of India, in London on Sunday, March 19, 2023. (ANI Photo)

By: Shubham Ghosh

A Sikh restaurant owner in London is spending sleepless nights after receiving life threats after posting a video on social media on the Khalistan movement and has asked whether action will be taken only after they are dead, India Today reported.

Harman Singh Kapoor’s restaurant was also attacked by pro-Khalistan activists days after the Indian high commission in the capital was vandalised in March.

Kapoor and his family, which includes his wife Khushi and two children, have alleged that they have been attacked as many as three times, targeted on social media and abused over calls. They also said that they were being followed on roads ever since Kapoor posted the video asking people to make calls for Khalistan in India and not in other countries, such as the UK and Canada.

Speaking exclusively to India Today, Kapoor said the attacks started after he posted a video on TikTok.

He said the Khalistan movement started a while back and died down. Today, a section of people settled in countries such as England, Canada and Australia want Khalistan but those in India do not.

“So, I said in the video that those who need Khalistan should go back to India and ask for it,” he was quoted as saying by the news outlet. 

He also referred to the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 saying those who do not subscribe to the concept of Khalistan should not undergo suffering.

According to Kapoor, he received death threats after posting the video which was widely viewed on social media.

“After I posted the video, I got two million views for it in two days. But, I started getting calls to take down the video else they would kill me and my family. I wondered who could threaten me like this as I am in the UK. However, five people came and attacked my restaurant,” he told India Today.

He said the attackers asked him to remove the post and raise slogans in favour of Khalistan and against India. They also allegedly asked him to burn the Indian national flag or else he would be murdered.

When India Today contacted the UK police over the incident they told that officers met the victim and spoke to him and he told them that he was threatened along with his family by a group of men who left the scene before the arrival of the police.

They said enquiries were underway and special safeguarding measures were put in place.

Kapoor said while the police met them and assured them of safety, they started receiving online threats. He said that his wife and daughter even received death threats.

He said while the police promised to arrest the suspects, nothing has happened yet.

Kapoor’s restaurant was attacked on March 22, the same day a group of pro-Khalistan protesters demonstrated outside the Indian high commission in London.

On March 19, a pro-Khalistan mob attacked the Indian mission and pulled the Tricolour down. The issue snowballed in the diplomatic circles as New Delhi lodged a strong protest to London over alleged lack of security to the diplomatic establishment.

Similar attacks on Indian diplomatic establishment were reported from the US, Canada and Australia.

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